Felicien's Story

On the outskirts of Kigali, where the urban landscape starts to give way to small suburban farms and flame trees, Felicien Senzoga lives with his wife and their five children. Felicien is the sole income-earner for the seven of them, since his wife’s full-time job is caring for the children. Due to financial challenges and needing to start earning an income, he left school at the age of 28 to go to tailoring school, and has been working as a tailor ever since.

[{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-4011215-sds-1472.jpg","text":"On the outskirts of Kigali, where the urban landscape starts to give way to small suburban farms and flame trees, Felicien Senzoga lives with his wife and their five children. Felicien is the sole income-earner for the seven of them, since his wife\u2019s full-time job is caring for the children. Due to financial challenges and needing to start earning an income, he left school at the age of 28 to go to tailoring school, and has been working as a tailor ever since."},{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-4011217-sds-1845.jpg","text":"In his spare time, he enjoys reading and helping his children with their homework. Reflecting on his own life and his children\u2019s future, Felicien says: \u201cI place high value on their education, because I can now support my family because of something I studied\u2026 And if I had been able to continue school, I would have been able to provide for my family in a better way.\u201d"},{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-4011219-sds-0535.jpg","text":"Felicien has worked at UTEXRWA, a textiles factory in Rwanda\u2019s capital, for the past 14 years. He works on the factory line as part of a group of tailors, sewing or embroidering one item on an article of clothing at a time \u2013 a button or button hole, a sleeve, a collar, etc. Felicien relies upon good vision for every aspect of his job. He threads a needle dozens of times per day, while embroidering and sewing buttons."},{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-4011221-sds-0385.jpg","text":"Felicien\u2019s vision began deteriorating in mid-2012. He recalls noticing it for the first time while threading a needle; he felt strain on his eyes as he struggled to do it. Over the next two years, the problem grew worse. \u201cI was worried because I was not performing properly at work,\u201d he says; \u2018it would take 20 minutes to do what previously took me 7 minutes,\u201d and he worried that within a few years he would not be able to work at all, and would lose his job."},{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-4011223-sds-0194.jpg","text":"During this time, Felicien did not seek treatment because he did not initially think that his vision problem was that serious; then, once it became unbearable, he did not have the financial means to pay for an eye exam or glasses, which he estimated amounted to several almost a year of savings. \u201cWhen I get paid, I first think about my family and their needs,\u201d he says, and with a family of seven and a modest salary, there is almost never enough money left over for unexpected costs."},{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-4011227-sds-2175.jpg","text":"\u201cMy family\u2019s life would have gone backwards, because I am the one who provides for them, so they are dependent upon my job. There is no other income or financial help that we get; it is only me.\u201d Given the high value he places on his children\u2019s education, Felicien especially worried that \u201ctheir life in school would change; if a kid doesn\u2019t eat, they can\u2019t study properly because their [ability to] think changes.\u201d"},{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-4011228-032.-vfan-eye-tests-amd-training-copy.jpg","text":"One day at work, Felicien and his colleagues were told that Vision for a Nation was coming to screen all workers over age forty, and wrote their names on a list, including his. The following day, he was screened, \u201cThey told me that +1.5 indicated the strength of glasses I needed, and that I could take it to a health centre anytime and get glasses for only $1.50, with insurance\u2026 but then they also gave me the glasses at the same time, for free!\u201d"},{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-3994050-015.-vfan-eye-tests-amd-training.jpg","text":"Felicien recollects the moment he received the correct glasses to try: \u201cI could suddenly see clearly, without struggling\u2026 Before, when doing the test [without glasses], I could not read at all; with the glasses, I could read [the chart] without trying hard at all.\u201d\u2026\u201cIt made me happy and gave me hope that [my] life would continue,\u201d Felicien says."},{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-4011230-sds-0409.jpg","text":"Felicien can now see the needle and thread perfectly, \u201cI don\u2019t have to strain my eyes now, and I can work without getting tired\u2026 before, I would get tired from the strain, but now when I put on the glasses, the work goes easily.\u201d Whereas it used to take him 5 minutes to thread or re-thread a needle, it now takes him only one minute, and what used to take him 20 minutes to sew now takes him only 7 minutes."},{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-4011232-sds-1930.jpg","text":"Now that he once more feels secure in his job, Felicien dreams of a bright future for his children: \u201cIf my kids are able to study [and do well in school], they can even go farther than I have gone; they will be able to have a better life, and to provide for themselves.\u201d Felicien hopes that they will have a very good life: \u201cto find jobs easily, to work for their country, to be self-sufficient,\u201d and to achieve their own dreams."},{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-4011234-sds-0224.jpg","text":"Ever since Felicien was screened, he has carried the prescription in his wallet, so that he can replace his glasses immediately, if ever necessary. He says, \u201cI know that if I lose my glasses, I will be able to get new ones easily and affordably.\u201d"},{"url":"http:\/\/d2fyyic8pcxcmc.cloudfront.net\/images\/127-4011236-sds-2030.jpg","text":"Vision for a Nation is helping tens of thousands of people like Felicien and the many more children and family members who indirectly benefit. We urgently need your support to transform the vision and lives of an entire nation. Please make a donation today."}]